June 20, 2011
Monday

As a child Clay and I fished the rocks around Clover pass resort. We were fishing buddies and never was there a day when we didn't cast our line into the water and catch some kind of fish. Those are some of my fondest memories as of my childhood.

Clay is right, the halibut have truly been depleted. After being away from Alaska for twenty years. I had the most amazing oportunity to visit Alaska with my family. We did take a charter. It turns out we had to go twenty miles off the coast to even begin to get a bite. When we did put up the halibut it they were all around 20 pounds. Fish we would have thrown back years ago. The charter told us those were the perfect size. I know full well that there are bigger fish and that they were barley legal.

I came home from my two trips to Alaska puzzled at the fish count that we caught. Some people say it is the charters. I am sure it is not. I watch several fishing shows on Discovery channel and see how the long liners fish. They through back the fish they are not fishing for. I am with Clay in the opinion that the "by-catch" are to blame for the fish not being there.

I guess the saddest thing is to think that the wonderful childhood that Clay and I shared fishing the wonderful waters of Alaska is not always going to be there. It breaks my heart that the Alaska I have fondly burned into my memories is gone. Please do something about it. Rebuild the fish count. There are bigger fish to fry other than the charter boats.

Kami Myles
Southlake, TX